Fire apparatus



Oct. 13,1925. 1,557,075

J. w. M LEoD FIRE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 INVENTOR A'IT NEY Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

1,557,075 PATENT OFFICE. I

JOHN w. MACLEOD, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FIRE APPARATUS.

Application filed January 17, 1925. Serial No. 2,972.

T all whom it may come rm, o

Be it known that I, JOHN WV. MAcLnon, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fire apparatus and particularly to apparatus of this class which is adapted for use -in safely conveying the occupants of a dwelling or other building from a predetermined floor thereof to a point of safety as well as to provide means; for conveying firemen and others to predetermined floors of the building with out subjecting them to the dangers of the fire; and the object of the invention is to.

provide a portable apparatus of the class specified which is mounted upon a suitably constructed motor vehicle in the manner of constructing other fire apparatus commonly employed whereby the apparatus may be conveyed from a fire station or the like to a predetermined place where the apparatus is to be used;la still further object beingto provide an elevator member or lift which forms a part of the apparatus, means being employed for permitting of the raising of said member or lift to a predetermined point and injuxtaposition to predetermined floors, or parts of a building structure, said means involving aclerrick structure com- 1 posed of telescoping members; a further object being to provide means for moving sa1d I telescoping members in predetermined position; a still further object being to provide means for moving the derrick and the ele vator member or lift separately or collectively into predetermined positions with reference to the motor vehicle; and further to ratus of the class and for the purpose specifled, constructed and operated as hereinafter described and claimed. 7

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved apparatus and covering the method of its-use;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of an elevator member or lift which I employ;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of a part of a beam which I employ;

Fig. 4: is a plan View of my improved vehicle with parts of the construction broken away and shown in section; and,

Fig. 5 is a side and sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 4.

In the accompanying drawingI have diagrammatically illustrated one method of carrying my invention into effect, and in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawing, 10-represents a motor vehicle of any suitable kind or class in connection with which the apparatus is mounted and by means of which the apparatus may be conveyed from one point to another. My improved apparatus, as

illustrated, comprises a revolvable platform 11 mounted on the framework of the vehicle, said platform being preferably mounted on rollers 12 and being rotated by a gear 13 on the platform and a pinion 14L meshing with the gear 13. and actuated by a crank 15 or in any other desired manner. ,Mounted centrally and transversely of the axis of the the frame 19 to support and guide the mem ber 21 in its movement longitudinally of the frame 19.

It will be apparent thatthe frame 19 to.- gether with the members 21 and 22 constitute thetelescoping parts whereby the beam may beextended to predetermined points within the limits of the beam structure and collapsed into such position as to facilitate the convenient movement of the apparatus through the streets or roads of predetermined townsor cities.

Coupled with the frame 16 is a pulley 25 and a similar pulley 26-coupled with the upper end of the frame 19. and a cable is secured to the pulley. 26, passesaround the pulley 25 and then around the pulley 26 and thus around a winch27 mounted. upon the platform 11, whereby the inclination of the beam 18 with reference to a vertical line may be governed, another winch 28 is employed in iuxtaposition to the winch. 27 on which a cable is mounted, said cable )assing around a pulley 29 mounted onthe bearing 20 and around apulley 30 at the lower endof the tubular member 21, the free end of said cable being secured to the upper end of the frame 19 as shown at 31 in Fig. 3 of the drawing. By means of this construction the tubular: member may be raisedin the frame 19, another winch '52 mounted on the platform ll rearwardly of the winches 27 and 28 and a cable wound raised into predetermined positionin-the member 21.

Theupper end portion of the member 22 is olfsetto a degree as shown at 36 and-- provided at its free end With apulley 37- inwardly of which is-another pulley 38 and,

' in practice, a: cable 39-is passed around said pulley and one. end of which is wound ona winch 40 mounted on the platform 11 and from the other end of which is-suspended an elevator member or lift 41.. All of the winches 27, .28, .52 and 40 are-preferably mechanically operated-by the motor ofqthevehicle 10 and, .in' the drawing, '1' have diagrammatically illustrated means-for accomplishing this. result comprising a shaft 42 adapted .to be coupled .w-i-th a motordriven shaft through. a :clutch mechanism 43 and on the shaft 42is -a worm. L4 meslr. ing with aworm gear .45- ona verticalshaft 46 extending centrally through and :con-' stituting an axis for the platform 11, and horizontal shafts 47 and 48 coupled withthe vertical shaft 46 through suitable ears 1.

whereby the winches 28, 5.2 and 40 maybe driven through the shaft 47'. througha suit able gear and clutch construction on said winches and on a shaft 49 actuated by the shaft 47, the clutches being, controlled by clutch levers 50. The winch-.27is driven through gears on the winch ;and'shaft128 as at 51, the operation of 'thewinchbeing, controlled through aclutch operated by'a lever 52, all of which is shownin Fig. 4

of the drawing.

Fromthe foregoing it willibe apparent that the beam 18 as well as the-separate, parts thereof may be moved into several posit-ions mechanically by the motor of the of the winches 53 may be hand-controlled and actuated in the manner of devices of this class but it will be understood that; if

desired, these winches may also be nic chanically operated.

Mountedupon the rear end of the platform 11 Or'What-inight constitute an extension 11 thereof is a ballast plate 54 mounted in suitable tracks'orrunways 55 or lift 41' may be whereby the member counterbalanced.

Theelevator member or lift-4:1 is inthe" form of a cagelike member, such as com-' mo-nly employed in the elevators I of oilice buildings and the like which will, be'con'-' structed soasto render the samefireproof in all of thewalls thereof, will be closed and constructed of suitable material, the top of the member beingv provided with a 'sh-ielded fan 41* to provide ventilation for said mem-' her which will prevent the passage of sparks In the construction shown the member ll is provided in op-" posite side walls with 'slidable door"mem-' bers 56 and at the top andin juxtaposition" to the openings controlled bythe doors 56' or the like thereinto.

with openings closed by -sliding1doormembers 57. The first of said doorscontrolling thev admission of persons into-and the discharge of persons from the member 41 through the opposite sides thereof, while the latter controls the admission of persons into; the member ll from a poi-ntabove the top of the member 21 by: use of a suitable ladder 58 indicatedin dot-ted' lines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The-bottom'of the member 41 is preferably provided with a shock absorbing member '59 suspended from the bottom of said member by a multiphcity ofcoiled springs or other cushioning means 60, whereby when the lift is" lowered to a street oi-"othersurface pains need not be taken in the placement of saidmember on said surface. Extensible wall members v61 are also preferablye-mployed whereby the member 41may be coupled with the sill of a window openingand whereby the *admissionof persons into the member tlthrough one of the door openings maybefacilitated A guide cable 62 is also preferably employed in connection" withl-t-lie'inember 41' to guide the member and prevent its strikingprojectionsonthe wall of a building and this cable maybe sired manner;

wardly of theplatform ll'and rearwardly of the drivers seat or compartment of the vehicle as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawing, and the beam be normally inclined forwardly to a. slight extent and be rotated with the vehicle or independently thereof when the vehicletraverses corners or sharp turns in order that the beam may clear building lines or other structures, and the use of my improved apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the following statement.

WVhenthe vehicle with my improved apparatus-thereon hasreached a. fire or other place where the apparatus is to be used and it is desired to raise themember 41 to av predetermined floor of a building, as diagrammatically illustrat'edin Fig. 1 of the drawing, said member is firstraised from the vehicle and the beam 18 adjusted into theproper position, that is to say, that the members 21 and 22. thereof lifted to the proper height by the operation of the several wincl1es.;.employed, after which the member 41 is raised into juxtaposition to the desired floor and the occupants of the building onsuch floor may pass into said member, one of the doors 5'6 beingopened by a fireman within saidwmember to accomplish this result, and the door may then beclose-d andi'said membermoved to an adjacent building by simply rotating the platform 11 to discharge the occupants within the member into an adjacent building or onto theroof of an adjacentbuilding, or

the member 41 may be lowered to the street level andagain raised, and the above operation repeated asoften as may be desired."

; It will also be apparent that by use of a ladder, in connection with the member 41 1 persons may enter said member from a point higher than the posit-ion of said mem-.

other Way than externally of the building;

and still further the member '41 may be used to raise a hose to a predetermined floor level to permit of thefighting of a fire at such floor level, or to permit of the' passage ofa hose into the building at such floor level. Y .2

In all of the foregoing uses of-the member 41 it will be understood that the same may be swung clear of-the building in its as'centor descent to clear fireain' the lower floors or structures of a building and to accomplish results which cannotbe accom plished by the use of ladders as is the commonipractice. i 1

'It will be understood that While I have diagrammatically illustrated one method of carryingmy invention intoueffect and have shown an elevatormember or lift 41 of specific construction and "a beam of specifid construction with means foractuating the several parts of the beam and the member 41, and other details of construction, that 1 am not necessarily limited to the structural details hereinsho-wn and described nor am-I :limited to the specific uses of theap paratus. herein set out, and various changesin and modifications ofwthe construction herein shown and. descrlbed .may be made,

within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from thei spiritvof my invention or sacrificing its advantages.=-

Having fully described my invention,

whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

-1..An apparatus ofthe class described comprising a motor vehicle, a platform rev-- olubly mounted thereon, a beammounted inconnection with said platform and movable therewith, said beam being composed of extensible parts,a lift member adapted to be normally supported on saidvehicle and to be raised and lowered with reference to'a predetermined structure and capable of movement toward and fromsaid structure, the elevation of said lift member being 'governed by said beam, means for actuating said member, means for actuating said beam and the parts thereof both of said actuating means being in operative connection with the motor of the "vehicle.

2. apparatus of the class describe comprising a motor vehicle,aplatform revolubly ,mounted thereon, a beam -mounted 1n connection with said-platform, and movable therewith, said beam being composed of extensible parts, a liftmember adapted to be normally supported on said vehicle and to be raised and lowered with reference'to a predetermined structure and capablewof movement toward and from said structure,

the elevation of said lift memberbein ggoverned by said beam, means for actuating said member, means foractuating said beam'and the] parts thereof, both of said actuating means being in operative connection with the motor of the vehicle, and means for controlling the operation of the several actuating means employed.

3. An apparatus. ofxtheclass described comprising amotor vehicle, a: platform revolubly mounted thereon, a beam mounted in connection with said platform and movable therewith, said beam being composed of extensible parts, alift member adapted to be normallysupported on said vehicle andto be. raised andiloiwered with reference to a predetermined structure ,and capable. ,of' movement toward and from said structure, the elevation of said lift member. being gov-v :erned by said beam, means foraaotuating said member, meanssfor actuating said beam and .theparts. thereof, both of s'a-id'actuating means being in operative connection with the motor .of the vehicle, means for control-. ling thevoperation of .the several actuating means employed, and means movably disposed on the platform for counterbalancing said lift member. c.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a motor vehicle, a platform revolublyr mounted thereon, a beam mounted in connection with said platform vand movable therewith, said beam beingcomposed of extensible parts, a lift member adapted to be normally supported on'said vehicle and to be raised and lowered' with reference to a predetermined -structure and capable of movement toward and from said structure, the elevation of said lift meniberbeing governed by said. beam, means for, actuating said'member, means forxactuatingsaid beam and. the parts thereof, both of said actuating means being in operative connection with the motor, of the vehicle, means for controlling the operationof the several actuating means employed, andmea-ns for manuallyrotatingsaid platform. t c

5. In an apparatus of'the class described, alift-membe'r comprising a rectangular hollow body closed at the top,;bottom and'sides, a. doorcontrolling admission into the chamber ofsaid body, means for ventilating. the chamber of' said body, shock. absorbing means at the mottom of said body, and a supplemental floor memberslidablie relativelyto,

themain floor member and adapted to be projected'through said body. I

6.. In an apparatus of the class described,

a lift member comprising a rectangular 1101-.

low body closediat the-atop, bottom and sides,

a door controlling admission. into the chamber of ;saidbody, means for ventilating the chamberbf said .body, shock absorbing means atthe bottom of said body, a supplemental floormemberadapted to be projected through saidhody, and a supplemental door in'the topportion of said bodyiand in jux taposition to the first named door.

V7. An apparatus of the .class described comprising a .motorfvehicle, va platform ro-' tatably mounteduponthe frame of the vehicle, said platfonnhavin-g a radial extension normally positionedover the vehicle frame, a beam'pivotally mounted in connection withsaid platform adj a'centxthe fulcrum of rotation thereof, said beambeing composed of c aplu'rality of extensible parts, a plurality'of winch devices mounted :on said platform-andfor actuatingthe several parts of said beam and for controlling the angular position of .thebeam with reference to said platform,'a .lift device normally supported portion of the-beam. 1 a

8. An apparatus. of the class described comprisinga .motor vehicle, a platform rotatably mounted-upon the: frame ofv the vehicle, said platform havingyca radial extension znormallynpositioned over the vehicle frame, a.beam pivotally mounted in connection with. said platform adjacent the fulcrumaof'rotation thereof,said beam being composed of a plurality of extensible parts, a plurality of winch devices mounted on said platform and for actuating the several parts of said beam and for controlling the angular position of thebeam .with reference to said platform," alift device normally supported on the vehicle frame forwardly of said platform, means cooperating with said beam I for.raising and lowering said lift, meansfor guiding and steadying the. upper end portion of the beam,and means movably disposed on the extension of said platform for counterbalancing said-beam.

9. An apparatus of the class described comprising .a motor'vehicle, a platform rotatably mountedupon the frame of the vehicle, said platform having a-radial extension normally positionedover the vehicle frame, a beam pivotally mounted in connection with said platform adjacent the ful crum of rotationthereof, .said beam being composed of a plurality of extensible parts,

and doors at the sides and top of said mem ber for controlling the admission thereinto.

10.cAn apparatus of the class described comprising a motor vehicle, a platform rotatably mounted upon the frame of the vehicle, said platform having a radial exten-' sion normally positioned over the vehicle frame, a'beam pivotallymounted in connection with said platform adjacent the fulcrum of rotation thereof, said beam being composed of a plurality of extensible parts, a plurality of Winch devices mountedon said platform and for actuating the several parts of said beam and for controlling the angular positionof the beam with reference to said platform, a lift device normally supported on the vehicle frame forwardly of said platform, means cooperating with said beam for raising and lowering said lift, means for guiding and steadying the upper end portion of the beam, means movably disposed on the extension of said platform for counterbalancing said beam, and an extensible supplemental floor member on said lift, said floor member having a flange adapted to en gage the sill of a window to retain the same in predetermined position with reference to such window.

11. An apparatus of the class described comprising a motor vehicle, a platform rotat-ably mounted upon the frame of the vehicle, said platform having a radial extension normally positioned over the vehicle frame, a beam pivotally mounted in con nection with said platform adjacent the fulcrum of rotation thereof, said beam being composed of a plurality of extensible parts, a plurality of winch devices mounted on said platform and for actuating the several parts of said beam and for controlling the angular position of the beam with reference to said platform, a lift device normally supported on the vehicle frame forwardly of said platfori'n, means cooperating with said beam for raising and lowering said lift, means for guiding and steadying the upper end portion of the beam, means movably disposed on the extension of said platform for counterbalancing said beam, an extensible supplemental floor member on said lift, said floor member having a flange adapted to engage the sill of a window to retain the same in predetermined position with reference to such window, and means for placing the lift actuating means in operative connection with the motor of the vehicle.

12. An apparatus of the class described comprising a motor vehicle, a platform to tatably mounted upon the frame of the vehicle, said platform having a radial extension normally positioned over the vehicle frame, a beam pivotally mounted in connection with said platform adjacent the fulcrum of rotation thereof, said beam being composed of a plurality of extensible parts, a pluralty of winch devices mounted on said platform and for actuating the several parts of said beam and for controlling the angular position of the beam with reference to said platform, a lift device normally supported on the vehicle frame forwardly of said platform, means cooperating with said beam for raising and lowering said lift, means for guiding and steadying the upper end portion of the beam, means movably disposed on the extension of said platform for counter-balancing said beam, an extensible supplemental floor member on said lift, said floor member having a flange adapted to engage the sill of a window to retain the same in predetermined position with reference to such window, means for placing the lift actuating means in operative connection with the motor of the vehicle, and means for placing the lift and beam actuating means in operative connection with the motor of the vehicle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 15th day of January, 1925.

JOHN WV. MAoLEOD. 

